More than 500 cases of dengue fever were laboratory confirmed, informed the Director-General of Health, Francis George, in weekly update on the outbreak that appeared in Madeira on 03 October.

Until Sunday, November 4, were reported by the Autonomous Region of Madeira 1148 cases of dengue fever, including laboratory confirmed 517, 455 more than indicated in the balance last week by the Institute of Health Administration and Social Affairs of Madeira.Of dengue cases, 631 are awaiting laboratory confirmation and 57 are people who were hospitalized, and three remain hospitalized.

Francis George said in a statement that the cases reported between October 03 and November 4, were diagnosed in Portugal eight (all benign outcome) and 11 abroad (all progressing to healing). In both situations, people, Portuguese and foreign, had recently been in Madeira.

Until Sunday, no deaths were recorded.

Dengue fever is transmitted to humans by the bite of the mosquito 'Aedes aegypti' infected and has symptoms such as fever, headaches and joint pain. In a more advanced stage, the disease can cause bleeding and become mortal.